1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a receptacle for cooling and heating food, drink and the like by means of the air flow from a ventilator of an air conditioner. More specifically, the invention relates to a receptacle which is supported directly adjacent the ventilator so that the contents of the receptacle and a container held upright in the receptacle can be cooled or heated by the air flow from the ventilator of an air conditioner, particularly in a vehicle, such as an automobile, truck or the like. The invention is also useful in connection with the ventilator of a stationary air conditioner such as a window-mounted unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, a stationary or motor vehicle air conditioner includes an outlet or ventilator from which cooled or heated air flows into a room or passenger compartment. In a vehicle, the ventilators are usually positioned in the dashboard to provide better air flow into the compartment and to facilitate driver and passenger control of the louvers usually found in each ventilator for directing the air within the compartment.
It is commonly known that vehicle air conditioners can be used to cool receptacles which are remotely connected to the air conditioners. In some instances, the cooling receptacle is integrated into the system so that the refrigerant of the system is additionally conveyed through the cooling receptacle. Exemplary of such devices are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,850,006, 3,858,405 and 4,103,510.
In other instances, the cooling receptacle is connected by conduits or hosing to the ductwork leading from the air conditioner to the ventilators in the passenger compartment. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,851.
It is further known that food, drink or the like can be cooled or heated when placed in a receptacle remotely attached to the ventilator of a vehicle air conditioner. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,410,337, 3,505,830 and3,916,639 show such devices. These devices employ several means by which to support the receptacle within various areas of the passenger compartment. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,337, for example, the receptacle is intended to rest on the front seat between driver and passenger in order to further serve as an arm rest. U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,830 teaches alternative placement of the receptacle on either the front passenger seat or on the floor behind the front seat. Finally, the receptacle of U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,639 is provided with adjustable, slidably mounted legs so that the receptacle can be positioned over the vehicle transmission hump beneath a centrally located ventilator.
Each of the aforementioned receptacles requires a lengthy conduit for connecting the receptacle to a ventilator. Furthermore, each receptacle is supported a distance from the ventilator. This necessitates that some sort of flexible hosing be used. Such hosing can be easily punctured or readily dislodged by the occupants of the passenger compartment. In addition, the hosing and remotely supported receptacle occupy valuable space within the passenger compartment. In some instances, an entire passenger seat is devoted to the receptacle.
These prior devices do not efficiently cool their contents for several reasons. Because lengthy hosing is needed, energy is wasted cooling or heating the conduit means. Also, if only a few, small items such as beverage cans required some sort of temperature modification, the entire receptacle had to be cooled or heated. Once the contents of the receptacle reached a desired temperature, prior devices required that the temperature be maintained uniformly for all items within. There was no means for the driver or an individual passenger to control the temperature at which their personal food, drink or the like was being maintained.